How To Make Bread Dough

Bread Dough Tutorial (Step By Step)This easy to make no-knead bread dough recipe allows you to use your own oven or outdoor grill to easily make rustic artisan bread that even many bakeries can’t duplicate. This versatile recipe delivers incredible flavor using only four ingredients, and also makes delicious artisan pizza!

Using a fork, thoroughly mix the salt with the flour.Note: It is important to thoroughly mix the salt with the flour before adding the yeast. Salt retards yeast growth, so you want it thoroughly combined with the flour before mixing in the active dry yeast.

Add 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast.

Using a fork, thoroughly mix in the dry yeast.

Form a well in the middle of the flour mixture.

Slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups of water (at room temperature). Using a plastic or wooden spoon, stir and fold the flour into the water. Note: You can also substitute the 1 1/2 cups of water with a combination of 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of lager beer. Use any mild lager beer (pale/light) such as Heineken, Amstel lager, Molson, Busch beer, Miller high life.

Thoroughly mix for a minute or two until all of the dry flour is absorbed into the sticky dough. Don’t over mix, but if the dough is dry, add a tablespoon of water or spray from a water bottle and continue to mix until the flour is moist (not soupy) and fully incorporated into the dough.

With your spoon, scrape the sides of the bowl to clean as much of the dough as possible, then form a rough, shaggy dough ball in the middle of the bowl. Don’t overwork the dough. At this stage, it doesn’t need to look pretty. The no-knead fermentation process will now go to work to create the delicious dough you’re looking for without kneading.

Double seal the bowl with plastic wrap by tightly wrapping one way, then wrapping a second piece 90 degrees across the previous wrap. It is important that the edges of the bowl seal tightly, as considerable pressure builds up during the fermentation process.

Place a kitchen towel over the plastic wrap to cover, then set the bowl aside at room temperature (about 72°) or higher for 10 to 18 hours.

Depending on the room temperature, after only 4 to 6 hours, the dough will almost double in size, and condensation will form inside the plastic wrap “bubble.” Cover with the kitchen towel again and continue the fermentation process for at least another 8 hours.

After about 12 hours total time, the dough will more than double in size, will be very loose when you shake the bowl, and have lots of air bubbles. This indicates the initial fermentation is now complete.

Note: Fermentation time depends on a number of factors, especially the room temperature. A cooler environment takes longer (18 to 24 hours), while warmer temperatures may take as little as 8 to 10 hours. Salt is also a factor. The more salt that is added to the dough, the slower the yeast develops and longer the fermentation time. To determine when the first fermentation is finished and the gluten has developed, the dough should have more than doubled in size with lots of bubbles and will cling in long strands on the side of the bowl when you tilt it. To speed up the fermentation time, use warm or hot water (never boiling), a touch more yeast, a little less salt, then set the bowl aside to proof in a warmer room where the temperature is 78 to 80 degrees rather than the typical 72 to 74 degree room temperature. If you accelerate the fermentation, keep in mind that more aroma and flavor is developed with longer rise times at room temperature.

Dust your work surface with flour, then remove the plastic wrap. Lean the bowl on its side and use a plastic scraper to help “pour” the sticky dough out onto your dusted counter.

The dough will be extremely moist, loose, and clingy. Always try to remove the dough from the bowl in one piece.

Wet dough in rough loaf form after removing from the bowl.

Dust the dough lightly, and with floured hands, fold under each of the four sides of the dough toward the center. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to shape it into a long loaf, then place with the tucked seam side down to proof on the lightly floured surface. The dough loaf should weigh about 30 ounces.

Place a moistened cotton kitchen towel loosely over the dough loaf to cover, then let it rise again before baking.

Cover Bread Dough and Let Proof For an Hour Before Baking

At this point, simply put a moistened cotton kitchen towel (not terry cloth) loosely over the dough to cover, then let it rise again in a warm area for another 60 to 90 minutes. The dough is ready when it doubles in size. If you press it with your finger, it should hold the impression. If not, let it rise for an additional 15 minutes. Then place in a preheated Dutch oven.

About a half hour before the dough has finished this second rise, move your oven rack to the middle position, place a heavy pot or Dutch oven in the center of the rack, and preheat the oven to 475 degrees. For baking instructions, see:
• How to Make Bread